• Marine Fabricator wins publishing awards

    Published On: November 12, 2019Categories: Awards, How-To Articles, Industry News

    The Minnesota Media and Publishing Association recognized Marine Fabricator magazine, led by senior editor Elisa Bernick, with a Bronze Award and a Silver Award in publishing excellence for how-to articles, “Seam finishing for marine cushions and covers” and “Zipper basics and helpful sewing techniques.” Both articles were written by Terri Madden, owner of Sand Sea [...]

  • Constructing snow flies for the Alaskan climate

    Published On: January 1, 2017Categories: How-To Articles, In the Shop, Projects, Resources

    Lady Marie is cocooned for the winter. The installation of the snow fly, from arrival to departure, took 29 minutes. Our winters in Fairbanks, Alaska, can be cold or very cold with lots of snow or little snow; it all depends. One condition we don’t see often is wind. In my 26 years [...]

  • Meticulous prototyping leads to attractive cylinder cushions

    Published On: September 1, 2016Categories: How-To Articles, Interiors & Upholstery, Projects

    Photo 1. The side view of the finished cylinder cushion and matching seating. Creating prototypes for cylinder-style cushions can help solve design challenges. Over the years I have been asked to fabricate several unusual items. I never know if that item will be a one-hit wonder or will become a customer favorite. In [...]

  • Marine fabricators meet customers’ window wish lists

    Published On: August 1, 2016Categories: How-To Articles, Projects

    When making boat windows for customers, marine fabricators often have a specific set of requirements of their materials. “Our fabricators require a sheet that is easy to handle, durable and can be cut and sewn easily without fear of damaging the product,” says Lyle Shipley, product manager at O’Sullivan Films, Winchester, Va., for O’Sea and [...]

  • Complex and compound frame bending

    Published On: July 1, 2016Categories: How-To Articles, Projects

    Incorporating unconventional design into dodgers and biminis. I often suggest that my customers try to think out of the box when envisioning what their boats can look like. I tell them, “If I have done my job properly, the cover will become part of the boat.” Take a spray dodger, for example. I generally recommend [...]

  • Lazy Jack – stack pack sail covers

    Published On: March 1, 2016Categories: How-To Articles, Projects

    Click on the images in the gallery below for a step by step guide. These names are some of the descriptions for a process of suspending sail covers. I started making these Lazy Jack covers 20 years ago, as a progress/advance of the Lazy Jack rope system, designed to help flake a main [...]

  • Working with pattern angles

    Published On: September 1, 2015Categories: How-To Articles, Projects

    This article is a preview of our hands-on presentation at the Marine Fabricators Conference this coming Jan. 14-16 in Clearwater, Fla. I want to talk about manipulation of pattern angles for both better quality and less time spent patterning. I will attempt to simplify and not talk about one-step patterns here. Most really large jobs [...]

  • Covering canvas repairs

    Published On: May 1, 2015Categories: How-To Articles, Projects

    Editor's note: Don Racine, a longtime Marine Fabricators Association member and supporter, died on April 18 as the result of a heart attack. He was 61. View Don Racine's full obituary. This article is about canvas repairs: We will discuss bimini tops, cockpit covers and full-boat travel covers. 1) Torn and dirty canvas is [...]

  • The science of vinyl discoloration

    Published On: May 1, 2014Categories: Features, How-To Articles

    How it happens & how to prevent it Look around a typical marina during the summer months and you will see dozens of vessels—some new, some old, some big, some small, and perhaps a few that show signs of transient color changes in the PVC fabrics being used. For more than 50 years, PVC discoloration, [...]

  • Retro sport top fabrication

    Published On: March 1, 2014Categories: How-To Articles

    Our retro sport top on an old Lyman boat. As with all wood boats, repairs are in progress. Years ago, sport tops with tails were considered the norm. In those days, we fabricated them with vinyl that had a denim backing. Most of the frames were vinyl-covered galvanized pipe, not stainless as is [...]